Letters From the Box

AlexeyMaltsev/ Shutterstock.com Fanny and Taylor both loved to read and they ADORED poetry - something that they passed down at least a couple of generations to my grandfather. I've never been a big poetry-reader, though I am a voracious consumer of books - I *have* to read every night before bed or I can't sleep.  This blog post will be a running list of the books and poems that they talk about as well as an occasional song.  I will have to actually read some of these! Please note that this will be an ongoing blog post: as I come across more titles, I'll add them to the list.  When available, I'll include a link to an online version. Books: Great Expectations  written between 1861 and 1862 by Charles Dickens From Wikipedia: In the 21st century, the novel retains good ratings among literary critics and in 2003 it was ranked 17th on the BBC's The Big Read poll. Take your pick from over 1 million copies on Hathi Trust The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit ...

T.T.L.V. and # # # Taylor writes T.T.L.V. and leaves several kisses at the  bottom of his letter to Fanny in August 1889. Maybe you noticed on that last blog introducing Taylor and Fanny, the "T.T.L.V." written at the bottom of Taylor's photograph.  Nobody really knew what that stood for.  We could figure out the "T.H." (Taylor Holt" and the "F.H.K." (Fanny Huckstep Kyle), but who or what was T.T.L.V.?   I know I've already said that these were mush love letters, but, really...you have no idea. They are REALLY MUSHY LOVE LETTERS.  Some are a single page, front and back, with nothing but mushy love.  It's sweet.  And a little ooky.  This is the Victorian era, after all - a time of "Mother Hubbard Dresses" - high necks, shapeless bags, basically - and the necessity of having a chaperone.  Taylor and Fanny met at a church social.  They were in Leadville, Colorado, which - at the time - had a lot of saloons, a fancy theater, and coul...